Hedge-trimmer



(No Model.)

' 4Sheets--Sheet 1. W. P. THROOKMORTON.

HEDGB TBIMMBR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1884.

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`ITA/[588561 KM /wm 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

- W. F. THROCKMORTON.

HEDGB TRIMMBR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1884.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. F. THROGKMORTON.

HEDGE TRIMMER.

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4 sheets-sheet 4.

Patented Sept. 2, 1884.Y

' (No Model.)

' W. I'. THROGKMORTON- HBDGB TRIMMBR.

WIT/VESSES UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrrcn. i

W'ILLIAM F. THROGKMORTON, OF ADAIR, ILLINOIS.

HEDeE-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,375, datedSeptember 2,1884.

' Appncatiun mea July 21, issu. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. THRocK- MoR'roN, of Adair, in the countyof McDonough and State of Illinois, have invented cer tain new anduseful Improvements in Hedge- Trimmers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in theart to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in hedge-trimmers, the objectbeing to providea trimmer1 of the type adapted to trim either the topsor sides of hedges with a cutter that shall be simple and durable in itsconstruction, and of very light weight, to enable it to be easilymanipulated by the opera-tor. A further object is to provide improvedfeatures of construction for connecting the cutter to itssupporting-frame, and enabling it to be readily removed and disconnectedtherefrom forrei pairs or replacement. A further object is to provideimproved means for the adjustable attachment of the supportingattachment.

With these ends in view my invention 'consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter bedescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of myimprovement, the cutter being adjusted to operate horizontally forcutting the tops of hedges. Fig. 2 `is an enlarged detached view of thedevices for securing the cutter in any desired position. Fig.

3 is a detached view in perspective of a portion of the iiugcr-bar. Fig.4. is a detached view, partly in plan and partly in section,representing the plate and the clamp for securing the supportingstandardto the framepiece. Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the clamping-plate.Fig. 5 is a detached view, partly in plan and partly in horizontalsection, of the couplingarm and its bearings. Fig. 6 is a plan view ofthe upper side of the finger-bar. Fig. 7 is a similar view ofthe underside. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of theguard-fingers. Fig. 9 isa view in perspective of the clamp for securingthe hip-pad to the standard, and Fig. l0 is another view of the clamp.

A represents therame-piece, which is prefframe-piece, whereby they arefirmly secured 'to the latter by means of the screws a5.

To one end of the driving-shaft is secured the fly-wheel C, and to itsopposite end is attached the crank-disk D, provided with a wrist-pin,I). To the driving-shaft is also secured a beveled pinion, E, with whichmeshes the beveled gear-wheel F, mounted on a spindle, f, of the bracketf 2attached to the framepiece. The arm f3 of the bracket is formed withan openingj, for the driving-shaft.

A crank attached to the gear-wheel F, and having a handle, c, isprovided for operating the'device.

A guard consisting of a bar, w, secured at one end to the frame-piece,and bent over to- -ward the gear-wheel F, and extending in closeproximity to its teeth, serves to prevent brush- 7 5 wood or othermaterial from being drawn between the teeth of the gear-wheel and pinionand obstructing the operation.

H is the fingerbar, preferably made of a single piece of cast metal. Itis provided at its rear edge with aproj ecting ange, h, against whichabut the rear edges of the stationary critters L, which are secured tothe nger-bar by the rivets Z. To the opposite side of the nger-bar aresecured the guard-fingers J by one of the rivets Z, the latter passingthrough the bar, the stationary cutter, and the guardfinger. rIhe upperportion of the end or point ofthe guard-f1nger is tapered, as at j,while the under side is at, as at j', and is provided with a flat seat,j?, on which rests the point of the stationary cutter L, which issecured to the`finger by the rivet K. The outer end of the stationarycutter is square, as at K', and is seated against the shoulder K2 on theunder side of the ringer, and thus the finger is firmly retained againstlateral displacement.

The guard-finger is constructed with a recess, Z, for the admission ofthe cutter-bar and to serve as a guideway therefor. A recess, Z2, isalso formed in the guard-finger for the reciprocating cutters or knives.This recess IOO is tapering, to retain the heel or base portions of thecutters in place and provide sufficient clearance-space, Z3, near theforward ends of the cutters or knives.

M represents the cutter-bar, to one side of which are secured the knivesor cutters M.

The construction of the cutting apparatus as herein shown and describedpossesses many valuable features. By securing the stationary knives toone side of the finger-bar and the guard-fingers to the opposite side,and secur ing the outer ends of the knives and fingers together in thelmanner described, a strong bracing is secured,which imparts stiffnessand strength to .the nger-bar, and cffectually prevents the lateraldisplacement of the stationary knives and guard -ngers, prevents theknives from becoming bent, and insures a very light construction ofcutter, thereby enabling it to be manipulated by a comparatively slightoutlay of power.l The inner end of the ngerbar is secured to the head N,which is constructed with a guidcway, N', within which reciprocates theblock N2 on the inner end of the cutter-bar. This head N is providedwith the perforated lugs n, for a purpose hereinafter described, andwith the extension n', having holes n2 formed therein.

G is the coupling arm or support for t-he finger-bar. It is constructedwith-two arms, q g', provided with eyes or sockets g2, that are ttedupon sleeve-bearings g3, made integral with the shaft-bearings a a. Bythis construction the coupling-arm G may be freely rotated, so as toadjust the cutter to any desired angle. The arm g of the coupling-arm isprovided with holes n", to enable the fingerbar N to be secured theretoby means of the bolts N,

By constructing the parts in the manner described the cutter may bereadily removed for sharpening the knives or other repairs by simplyremoving the bolts. I

O is a pitman having sleeve-bearings o at its opposite ends, one bearingbeing supported on the wrist-pin b of the c1ank-disk,while the other issupported on a pin, o, secured to ltohe block N" on the inner end of thecutter- To the frame-piece, near the crank-disk, is secured theset-screw I). It is composed of the screw-threaded portion p, providedwith two diverging arms, p', which are screwed to the side or bottom ofthe frame-piece, and thus firmly hold the screw in position.

pL is the thumb-nut on the screw.

Q is a curved brace furnished with a slot, u, through which passes thescrew l?, while its opposite or outer end is formed with an opening, q.This outer end is removablysecured to either one of the lugs a on thehead N of the finger-bar by means of a pin, or by other equivalentdevice. The finger-bar can thus be adjusted to any desired angle andretained in such adjustment by tightening the thumbnut p2, it beingnecessary to adjust the cutter t'o operate horizontally to cut the topof the hedges, or.verticallyvrtov cutthe sides, or at other angles toimpart the desired form to the hedges.

The devices shown and described are important features of myimprovement, as the cutter may be turned completely over and the end ofthe brace quickly secured to the lug on the opposite side ofthe-finger-bar.

B is a standard, to which is adjustably sccured the frame-piece in thefollowing manner:

' Vis a plate, provided on opposite sides with thearc-shaped slots fu,through which are inserted bolts o', for securing the plate to theframe-piece. By means of the arc-shaped slots the plate and the standardmay be arranged at desired angle, within a limited extent relative tothe frame-piece to suit the operator. The plate V has a raised centralportion, and is furnished with the flanges v2, forming a recess betweenthem for the standard Bof the plate; is also constructed with atransverse slot, w', through which projects the clamping-stirrup W,adapted to receive the standard B, and provided at one side with ascrew-threaded stem, x,which projects through ahole in the frame-piece,and is secured by means of a thumb-nut, Y.

Vhen it is desired to adjust the height of d the frame-piece on thestandard to suit the v height of the operator or the hedge, the thumbnutY is loosened and the frame pushed up or down, and then the nut is againtightened and the standard is firmly clamped and held againstdisplacement. To the upper end of the standard is secured the curvedyoke S, provided with the shoulder-pads T, whereby the weight of thedevice is supported by the shoulders of the operator.

U represents a hip-pad. To its outer side is secured a standard-seat, X,which is provided with a curved surface to fit the outer surface of thepad, and with perforated ears w3 and flat seat w for the standard It.The seat x is recessed at x2, to enable the fasteningrivet to be headedbelow the surface of the standard. The standard is furnished with aseries of holes, z'. By passing a pin through the ears x3 and one of theholes in the standard, the hip-pad may be secured in any desiredvertical adj ustmcnt. The handle Z is secured to the frame-piece toenable the operator to properly guide and govern the machine.

It is evident that slight changes in the construction and relativearrangement of the parts of my improvement might be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have itunderstood that I do not restrict myself to the exact constructionandarran gement of parts shown and described 5 Having fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. The combination, with the finger-bar provided with. a flange on itsrear edge, of knives IOO IIO

or cutters secured to the iinger-bar, with their rear edges fittingagainst said liange, and guard-1ingers secured to the opposite side ofthe iinger-bar, said knives and ngers being secured together near theirouter ends, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination, with the finger-bar having ahead provided with a perforated lug on each side thereof, of a slottedbrace and a set-screw, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the driving-shaft and gears, of the curvedguard secured at its lower end to the frame and extending over thepinion on the driving-shaft, the end of the arm being located in eloseproximity to the teeth of the gear-Wheel F, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the frame-piece and the standard, of the plateprovided with are-shaped slots, the straight slot and a seat` VILLIAM F.THROCKMORTON.

lVitnesses:

BENJ. MCCARTNEY, LYuAN F. PoNtrIoUs.

